the Roman Catholic Church

The Pope’s visit revealed a Church at war between left and right and over the authority of the Pope. The result is deadlock

Brian Walker on September 1, 2018, 12:26 pm

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Two characteristics of the papacy of Jorge Mario Bergoglio emerged more clearly as a result of his brief visit to Ireland, neither of them encouraging. One was the local hierarchy’s relative powerlessness to influence what went on. Over the dashed hopes that he might come North, they talked like onlookers in the crowd. This goes flatly against all I ever assumed about the pledges of collegiality with local bishops after Vatican 2. The second is the relative powerless of the …

The Pope calling those involved in abuse and coverup “caca”- excrement – will be remembered. But will it be significant?

Brian Walker on August 26, 2018, 1:10 pm

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In a statement, the representatives from the Survivors of Mother and Baby Homes group said Francis condemned corruption and cover up within the Church as “caca”, an Italian and Spanish word for human excrement. The statement said that after the pope used the word, his translator explained that it meant “literally filth as one sees in a toilet.” A Vatican spokesman had no comment on the details of what was said in the meeting. A Vatican official said he …

Trinity academic to become first woman cardinal shock!

Brian Walker on November 3, 2013, 6:52 pm

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No, Not Crocodile Dundee’s soon to be ex -wife but the vice provost of Trinity College Dublin. A real Sunday flyer From the Sunday Times (£) SHE may be a woman, married, a feminist and only 49, but an Irish theologian called Linda Hogan is being tipped as the Vatican’s first lady in red. There has never been a female cardinal, but since Pope Francis took charge in Rome eight months ago and emerged as a social liberal the unthinkable …

Sectarian wrangling over sharing and integration can only be averted by raising sights towards higher standards

Brian Walker on July 1, 2013, 3:28 pm

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A debate on the future of education has begun in confusion but at least it’s underway. Since Obama’s speech which was accorded more significance than it deserved, the debate on sharing or integration in education got into a terrible muddle straight away. Is sharing a big step towards integration or the very opposite? Since promoting its comment columns as The Home of Debate NI, the Belfast Telegraph has thrown its usual ”on the one hand, on the other – let’s …

The Catholic church is behaving as if it knows it does not speak for the Irish people over abortion

Brian Walker on June 21, 2013, 9:10 am

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Just a reflection or two on the issues of Mick’s post. When you see it written down so starkly out of the mouth of one Cardinal Burke from the real life perspective of the Roman Curia, the effect is breathtaking. Will Catholics now rush to contradict him? I wonder. Many people seem to want to defy the Church silently. and this is mightily frustrating for the Church establishment. It’s as if they’re being ignored. More and more Irish Catholicism is becoming a private …

What ought to be rescued from the wreckage of Catholic Ireland?

Brian Walker on August 9, 2012, 12:25 pm

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As I’d expect, Mary Kenny has offered a critically sympathetic and definitely non-polemical take on the long withdrawing roar of the sea of faith from Catholic Ireland, noted already by Gladys. For critics who may gloat that it’s all up for religion entirely, she makes an important distinction between faith and the institution of the (Roman Catholic) Church which by no means writes off faith entirely. Mary points out that the problem with Vatican 2 was that it removed or played …

Brady departure in sight

Brian Walker on May 5, 2012, 9:50 am

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So this is how they’ll ease him out. According to the Irish Times, a coadjutor bishop may be appointed to administer the archdiocese of Armagh with the expectation of succession. Fr Brady himself was similarly appointed coadjutor to Cahal Daly in 1995 and succeeded him automatically the following year. The questions crowd in. Can they wait that long this time? And in the meantime, will he continue to function as president of the Irish bishop’s conference? This is the more …

Cardinal Brady should go – in charity

Brian Walker on May 4, 2012, 1:08 pm

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I’ve never been keen on a feeding frenzy and there will always be something deeply ironic about Martin McGuinness, despite his peacetime record, calling for anyone to resign, not least a cardinal who despite the facts which the BBC augmented only slightly this week, is still respected and warmly liked by many. It must be acknowledged that since the 2010 revelations, many, perhaps most Catholics – and plenty of non-Catholics too – appear to have forgiven Cardinal Brady as a genuinely …